Tributes paid to amateur rugby league ambassador

The sporting community has paid tribute to a “much-loved rugby league character” who died over the weekend.

Ged Brentnall dedicated his life to the sport and was the open age secretary at Dewsbury Moor RLFC.

Dewsbury Moor chairman Pete Charlesworth said: “Ged didn’t come to the rugby matches on Saturday. We were worried about him because it was totally out of character for him not to be there.

“Rugby was his life and he never missed a game.”

A message posted on the Dewsbury Moor club Facebook page said: “It is with our deepest regret to announce that O/A secretary Ged Brentnall has sadly passed away. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends.

“He was a great ambassador for our club with a great knowledge and passion for the game of rugby league. A fantastic person who will be sadly missed.”

Ged, who was in his 60s, first got involved in amateur rugby league as a schoolboy and has played for several clubs around the Dewsbury area.

He began his career at Shaw Cross as a youngster and played professionally for many years with Batley Bulldogs during the 1980s. He then went on to play for the former Gate Inn team.

He later became secretary of the Thornhill Trojans and joined Dewsbury Moor as secretary around five years ago.

He also wrote match reports for all the club’s junior games.

Mr Charlesworth said: “He knew the rules inside out and there was a lot of talking if anyone said he was wrong. He was a proper character.

“The clubs were his family and he did a fantastic job serving all of them.

“He will be really sadly missed.”

Gordon Ratcliffe, chairman of Thornhill Trojans said Ged was a “great former stalwart of the club”.

He said: “Ged was not only a fantastic servant to the club and the amateur game of rugby league within the district, but also a personal friend, serving many years at Thornhill both as a player and committee man and to the wider game of rugby league within the Heavy Woollen district.”

A minute’s silence was held at all the Dewsbury moor games on Sunday morning in Ged’s honour.

And hundreds more members of the amateur rugby league community paid their respects to Ged online.

A statement from the Pennine League said: “Ged was a much liked and admired character on The Pennine League Committee, with many many years of experience in the administration of amateur Rugby League and will be very much missed.”

Ossett Trinity Tigers said: “He will be fondly remembered for his dedication to Dewsbury Moor ARLFC and for the local rugby league scene of the Heavy Woollen area. Thank you for all you did Ged RIP.”

The Queens ARLFC said: “He will be a sad loss to the Dewsbury Moor club but the work he has done over the years will always be remembered. R.I.P. Ged.”

And the British Amateur Rugby League Associatio said: “We would like to send our deepest sympathy to the family and all who knew him. It has been a pleasure to work with Ged over the years.”

Pictures by Stevan Morton

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